Thiruvananthapuram: In recent years, a troubling pattern has emerged in Kerala, where Christian-run educational and healthcare institutions are increasingly being singled out and vilified in the public domain. What were once isolated reports of student suicides, hospital incidents, or internal staff issues have now become platforms for orchestrated campaigns that disproportionately target institutions under Christian management while similar or more serious cases in non-Christian settings often go unreported or ignored.
Whenever an unfortunate incident such as the suicide of a student or staff member occurs within or around a Christian institution, a media frenzy is often triggered. The narrative is shaped in a way that amplifies blame toward the institution, its administrators, or clergy, regardless of whether institutional negligence has been established. But in contrast, similar incidents in government or private secular institutions are routinely brushed aside, generating neither public outrage nor sustained media coverage.
A few recent examples underline the disparity. The Sreekrishnapuram St. Dominic’s School case, where the suicide of a ninth-grade girl sparked an uproar, and the Rajagiri Hospital incident, which was aggressively politicized, became headline controversies. In both cases, critics on social media were quick to pounce, painting the institutions in a sinister light without waiting for verified findings.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. In past years, respected institutions such as Caritas Hospital, Mar Sliwa Medcity, and Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha have also faced baseless smear campaigns often stoked by viral content that offers neither evidence nor fairness. Most recently, schools like Little Flower School in Kanhangad and institutions under the Thamarassery Diocese have also been unfairly targeted. Many see this as a deliberate attempt to erode public trust in institutions that have historically played a key role in Kerala’s progress in education and healthcare.
Interestingly, these attacks are absent when similar tragedies unfold elsewhere. On July 14, media outlets briefly reported that three girls attempted suicide at the Sree Chitra Poor Home in Thiruvananthapuram. The story quickly faded without scrutiny or public debate. In another tragic case, a young woman from Kothamangalam, employed at a private hospital in Kuttippuram, died by suicide due to alleged workplace harassment. Though multiple complaints have surfaced against the same employer, the hospital’s name was never revealed, and no outrage followed.
In the past few weeks alone, numerous suicides among students across Kerala from Chalakudy to Haripad to Idukki have occurred, spanning schools and colleges, yet none garnered the same level of media or public scrutiny. This selective outrage, critics say, betrays an underlying bias, where incidents involving Christian institutions are disproportionately magnified while others are conveniently sidelined.
A particularly telling example dates back two years to Amal Jyothi Engineering College, where the death of a student triggered widespread protests allegedly over phone usage policies. Activist groups and social media campaigns framed the tragedy as institutional cruelty, despite the absence of clear causality. Meanwhile, dozens of student suicides in the same period received little to no public attention, underscoring the disparity in treatment.
Observers point to a coordinated agenda driven by vested interests, some possibly aligned with religious or ideological extremism who exploit these tragedies to undermine the credibility of the Christian Church and its institutions. While church authorities have consistently taken steps to address legitimate grievances and correct any procedural errors, the disproportionate criticism and selective amplification raise questions about the motives of those fueling these narratives.
The Kerala Catholic Church has long played a vital role in providing quality education and healthcare to all communities, irrespective of religion or class. Yet, the current atmosphere suggests that the Church’s efforts are being systematically undermined through misinformation, selective reporting, and targeted digital attacks.
As the situation escalates, Christian leaders and social commentators urge the public to remain vigilant. The general public, they say, must not fall prey to divisive agendas masquerading as justice campaigns. Instead, they call for fair reporting, balanced discourse, and a rejection of communal polarization, especially when it comes to the institutions that have faithfully served the people of Kerala for generations.
The challenge now lies in defending truth, integrity, and the freedom to serve, even as shadowy campaigns attempt to exploit grief and misfortune for hidden gains.